Fuel tanks jettisoned by PAF jet triggers reports of crash

Peshawar: Fuel tanks jettisoned by a Pakistan Air Force jet fell into the Indus river in the country`s northwest on Wednesday, triggering reports that a trainer aircraft had crashed.

PAF spokesman Tariq Mahmood clarified that a fighter jet "jettisoned its fuel drop tanks due to technical reasons over the river Indus while on a training mission?. He denied reports that a trainer aircraft had crashed into the river.

There was no loss or damage on the ground due to the jettisoning of fuel tanks by the jet, Mahmood said in a statement.

Earlier, police officials had told the media that a Mushak trainer aircraft crashed into the river near Chota Lahore in Swabi district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

Swabi district police chief Mian Saeed had erroneously claimed that pieces of an aircraft had been recovered and that its pilot and co-pilot were missing.